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COLLINS COBUILD COLLINSBirmingham University International Language Database ENGLISH LANGUAGE DICTIONARY COLLINS COBUILD (Ill.l.INSBirmingham'mu-i'sitvInternationall.antruauvItatabaM' ENGLISH LANGUAGE DICTIONARY THE UNIVERSITY COLLINS OF BIRMINGHAM PUBLISHERS COBUILD is the Coilins Birmingham University International Language Database This dictionary was developed and compiled in the English Department at the University of Birmingham as part ofa language research project commissioned by Collins Publishers COLLINS COBUILD COLLINSBirminghamUniversityInternationalLanguageDatabase ENGLISH LANGUAGE DICTIONARY Collins London and Glasgow HarperCollins Publishers 77-85 Fulham Palace Road London W6 8JB COBUILD is a trademark ofWilliam Collins Sons & Co Ltd © William Collins Sons & Co Ltd 1987 First Published 1987 Reprinted 1988 (twice), 1989, 1990 (twice), 1991, 1992 10 9 8 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing ofthe Publisher ISBN 00 370023 2 Computer Typeset by C R Barber & Partners, Wrotham, England Printed in England by Clays Ltd, St Ives pie C1P- Kurztitelaufnahmeder Deutschen Bibliothek CollinsCOBUILD English languagedictionary [developedand comp. in the Engl. Dep. at the Univ. of Birmingham]. Ed. in chiefJohn Sinclair London; Glasgow Collins;Stuttgart Klett 1987 : : ISBN 3-12-517910-6 (Klett) ISBN 0-00-370023-2 (Collins) Pb. ISBN 0-00-375021-3 (Collins) cased ed. NE: Sinclair, John[Hrsg ] ISA B^mixmm <i987» *£-r>v—t-vai-)b V.fift w kbK#J& 4 - 12 - 7 IftKAMI I-J: <. *Wr'JI'H. tcft. ft*!'. 1 I r. NOTE Entered words that we have reason to believe constitute trademarks have been designated as such. However, neither the presence nor absence of such designation shouldbe regardedasaffectingthe legalstatusofany trademark. EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR IN CHIEF John Sinclair MANAGING EDITOR Patrick Hanks EDITORS Gwyneth Fox . Rosamund Moon Penny Stock SENIOR COMPILERS SENIOR COMPUTINGOFFICER Andrew Delahunty Jeremy Clear Sheila Dignen Ramesh Krishnamurthy COMPUTINGOFFICER Elaine Pollard Eileen Fitzgerald COMPILERS Stephen Bullon CLERICALSTAFF Deborah Kirby Lynne Farrow Helen Liebeck JaniceJohnson Elizabeth Manning Brenda Nicholls John Todd Pat Smith COLLINS PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Richard Thomas Foreword TheProjectTeam the support of the Head of the Department throughout, The final project team is set out above. Several other Professor J T Boulton. In various ways every one of the colleagues madea notablecontribution in the earlyyears, staffhelpedandencouragedthe workandoneortwomust andcontinued to providesupport throughout the lifeofthe be singled out for specific contributions. Dr David Brazil project. Antoinette Renouf, the original Project devised the system of recording pronunciations, and Co-ordinator led the team from 1980-83andestablished the transcribed mostofthem.Tim Laneensuredtheirtransfer text corpus and maintained and developed corpus work. to electronic form and gave support on thecomputational Dr Michael Hoey gave a great deal of help in side. Tim Johns encouraged the use of real examples and administration and policyguidance in theearly periodand made experimental classes available. Chris Kennedy, continued with strong academic guidance. From Collins, Tony Dudley-Evans, Dr Mike McCarthy, Charles Owen, Beryl TAtkins playeda formative role in thedesign ofthe Phillip King, Dr Kirsten Malmkjaer and Martin Hewings project and in the general training; continuing in her all read drafts, picked holes in them and offered many capacity as General Editor she commented on draft suggestionsforimprovement. dictionarytextsthroughout. Many colleagues in the University of Birmingham Some members of the team moved on before the work contributed notably to the project. Three Pro-Vice was completed. Wendy Morris and Clive Upton were two Chancellors in turn guided the project through various of the original editors. Nigel Turton, Martin Manser, committees; Professor Harry Prime, ProfessorJohn Fage Dieter Wachendorff, Judy Amanthis, Duncan Marshall, and Professor John Samuels. The Centre for Computing Emily Driver, Kathy Kavanagh and Michael Rundell were and Computer Sciences was deeply involved throughout compilers for substantial periods. Ian Sedwell helped with andeasedproblemsin thecomplex finalediting. tEhveancsomapnudtiSnuge.SHmeiatthhweerrCehsaemcprieotanr,ieLso.rraine Dove, Cheryl memIbeworusldofCaollsloinsliskteafftwohothhaanvke htehelpepdasitn thaendpropjercets.ent whiTlheenportojercetguhlaasralmsoembebneerfsiteodfgrtehaetlytefarmo,m paecotpeldewinho,a comTehissfdricotmiohnuarnydriesdbsasoefddooncuemveindtensceanadndcotnhveeresvaitdieonncse, consultative capacity or provided a specialist service. In kindly made available by the copyright holders. A full list bpaertmiecnutliaorneMda,rcCealthLyeEmmmmeontst,,gwrhaomhmealrpedconwsiutlhtatnhte,Emxutsrta ispSruocvhidaedfuonndpaamgeentxaxlii.re-appraisal ofa language requires Column,andalso Ela Bullon, Helmut HirschmUller, Debbie a high degree of teamwork and large-scale co-ordination Krishnamurthy,ClareRamsey,andLouiseRavelli. of resources. The success of this book and other books to come will owe a great deal to the people and groups AckInwoowulleddlgiekmeetnottshank many other people'whose names cmoennttriibounteidonasb.ove, and I am verygrateful tothem fortheir do not appear on the team credits but who made a significant contribution to the compilation of the dictionary. John MSinclair This project was part of the work of the English ProfessorofModern EnglishLanguage Department and its successful completion owes much to EditorinChief Guide to the Use of the Dictionary Thisdictionaryiswritteninordinary,everydayEnglish.There initials called an acronym (salt and SALT), or a contracted are only a few special symbols to understand and they are form (shed and she'd). In these cases the word is explained explained below. We also explain how to find things ina long first in all its uses and the abbreviations, acronyms and entry. Asfaraspossible each entry followsthesamepattern. contractions are explained in separate entries immediately Forinstance, ifyouarelookingfora noteon thespelling,you afterwards. will always find it near the beginning ofthe entry, but ifyou am think you want to know about a phrasal verb you should look Am. neartheendoftheentry. a.m. In the section that follows, on page xv, there is a short amalgam explanation of how this dictionary was designed and made, , why it is new and different, and how you can make the best 2.4 Special entries, each in a box also appear at their useofit. correctplaceinalphabeticalorder.Someoftheseexplain the Theexplanationsgivenherereferonlytothemain textofthe abbreviationsused in theextracolumn.Othersshowtheways dictionary. By the side ofthe main text you will findan extra in which you can express some important concepts such as column of notes about the structures and meanings. To save age, measurement, number and time in English. For the full space these notes are abbreviated and there is a key to the listofthesespecialentries,seepagexiii. abbreviationsonpagexiii. 1 Entries 3 Pronunciation 1.1 Anentryinthisdictionarybeginswithawordorgroupof 3.1 The pronunciation is normally given only for the first words in large bold lettersstartingat the left-most sideofthe form of the word at each entry and is placed immediately column. afterthatform. agriculture ... is the practice of farming cabin /kaebm/,cabins ... alonodktahfetermectrhoopsdsantdhaatniamraelsu.sed to raise and 3e.x2amHpolweevwehre,nifitthiseuwsoerddaissparonnoouunnacnedd iwnhdeinffeitreinstuwsaeyds,asfoar 1.2 The main factor in deciding whether or not to include a verb,thesevariationsareexplainedafteralltheforms. wordasan entry in this dictionary was how often it occurred record, records, recording, recorded. coiinutt,ioeusfroarnleadxrgpaeemoppclloeer,pvuaesnrdyofsteotcemxhetnsi.rcaaHrloewwfoeorvrdeesri,g,ntshweoormndeasm.weosrdosfcwoeunrterileesf,t Tnohuenviserpbronisoupnrcoendou/rnecker>d:d//.ri'koid/and the 3.3 Pronunciation is not given for the special entries in 2 OrderofEntries bEongxleiss,h,foorrfoarbbernetvriiaestitohnastctohnastistarofetwroaroerlymourseedwoirndsswphookseen 2.1 All entriesare printed in strictalphabetical order, taking pronunciationisgivenateachoftheseparatewords. nboetnwoeteincewoorfdsc.apital letters, hyphens, apostrophes or spaces 3.4 The system used for pronunciation is described on page xii. aid aide aide-de-camp AIDS 4 FormsandSpellings ail 4.1 The spelling foreach form ofa word in thedictionary is aileron given inlargeboldlettersatthebeginningofeachentry. ailing ailment 4.2 The following forms are usually given, if they are aim commonlyused: aimless 4.2.1 -fornouns,thepluralform. ain't aerosol aerosols air ... bathingcap,bathingcaps airbase ... airbed 4.2.2 - for qualitative adjectives, the comparative and 2.2 Sometimes a word can be used either alone or followed superlativeforms. by another word, and the addition ofthe extra word does not happy ...happier,happiest ... cthhaenmgeintahlephambeeatniicnagl.orIdfert,hetrheeawroerdnoanodthtehrecenotmrbiiensatbieotnweaerne Where no comparative or superlative forms are given for explainedinthesameentry qualitativeadjectivestheyareformedwith'more'and'most'. Wtbeoololkteisenpagrtyeoonulorn.fg..eertWuebdlbrlye.irnbgotootnsswhorichWeyloluinwgetaorn -4(s.t2hf.e3or--mef)do,rftvoherermb)sp,,reatsnhedenttthhpieardrptapiscetirpsploaenrt(fitcohierpml-eionfgiftfhitoerimps)rn,eosttehntetheptaessntasemtee(ntsahese thepasttense. 2t.h3e sAlalmetheenutsrey.s oHfowaewveorr,d asroemeutsiuamlelsy gthievensatmoegetlheettrerwsitchainn place ...places,placing,placed form both a word and an abbreviation (no and No.), a set of take takes,taking, took,taken vii GuidetotheUseoftheDictionary 4.3 If a word can be used as a noun with a plural and as a becalmed ... Ifasailingshipisbecalmed, it verb, and the third person form of the present tense of the isunabletomovebecausethereisnowind. ovnelrybgiisvtehneosnacem.easthe plural form ofthe noun,the-sform is brave ... 1 Someone who is brave shows in their behaviour that they have the courage alarm ...alarms,alarming,alarmed... to do something even though it is 4.4 If there are any special features about the use of the frightening,dangerousordifficult. forms, forexample ifaparticularformorsetofformsisused 6.2 In the explanation, the entry word is printed in bold only when a word is used with one particular meaning, these letters. This is done whether it is the first word of the featuresareexplainedaftertheforms. explanationorwhetheritappearslateron. hang ... The forms hang, hangs, hanging, acumen ... is the ability to make good hung are used for the verb except in judgements and decisions in relation to a paragraph 6 where the forms are hang, particularactivity,especiallybusiness. hangs,hanging,hanged... bareback ... Ifyou ridebarebackyouridea 4.5 One of the forms of a word may also be explained in a horsewithoutasaddle. smeepaanriantgeienntsroymeifotfheitsfousrems.is very common or hasa different 6f.o3undAafntoetrethaeboeuxtpltahneatiwoany. in which a word is used may be begin begins, beginning, began, begun...1..Ifyoubegintodo... aguisvpeiscihooupse...ofSosmuectcheisnsgotrhatevisidaeunscpeicitohuast beginning ... beginnings. 1 Thebeginning successislikely;afairlyformalword. ofanevent... 6.4 If a word has several senses as a noun, verb, etc, in a particularpatternofuse,thefirstpartoftheexplanationisnot repeated. 5 Entrynotes cistern ... A cistern is 1 a container which 5p.r1onuEnnctiratyionno,teosrmafatyerbalelgtihevefnoramfst.er the first form, after the 2hwoaaltdelsarrtighseesttwaoarnteked.rintthhaetrisooufseodfatohfoluussehaintwoihlietch.. 5.2 Anentrynotemayshowdifferentspellingsoftheword. nod ... 1 Ifyou nod, 1.1 you move your head polarize ... polarizes, polarizing, quickly upand down several times toshow polarized;alsospelledpolarise... that you are answering 'yes' to a question, vAampeoruirca.n.. Evnagploisuhrs..;. also spelled vapor in aoirnpdpirtcooavtaselhos..ow.m1e.at2ghryieoneugmebonertn,dtoyuongudirevrehsetsaaonddmieonnogcn,eeotaro baby-sitter, baby-sitters; also spelled signal todo something ... 1.3 you bend your withoutahyphen... headoncewhenyoumeetorleavesomeone 5.3 Anentrynotemayexplainchangesinpronunciation. or when they leave you, asa way ofsaying helloorgoodbye... 1.4you keeplettingyour default /di'telt/, defaults, defaulting, head fall forward because you are falling defaulted. The word default is also asleepwhilesittingdown... pronounced/di:f:>:lt/inparagraph3. 5.4 An entry note may explain the particular form or forms 7 Ordering within an entry: paragraphs and used fora particular meaningofthe wordsor when the word sub-paragraphs: isusedinAmericanorBritishEnglish. burst ... bursts, bursting. The form burst s7.o1metIfimaeswowridthhaesxaomnpllyeso,newicthoimnmoonneuspea,raitgriasphexpalnadinendo, is used in the present tense and is the past numbersareused. tenseandpastparticipleoftheverb... anaesthesia ...; also spelled anesthesia, otshtarticchann...otAnflyo.stItrihcahsilsoanglalerggse,Aaflroincgannebcikr,d especiallyinAmericanEnglish. asmallheadandlargesoftfeathers. analogue ... analogues; also spelled 7.2 Ifa word hasseveral uses, the ordering within theentry analog,especiallyforparagraph3. has been decided by consideration of several criteria, 5.5 Anentrynotemayrefertoalltheusesofaword. including frequency, independence of meaning, and concreteness. For a fuller discussion of this point, see page assemblage ... assemblages; a formal xix. word. 1 An assemblage is ... 2 Assemblage is... 7.3 Ifa word hasseveral uses, butall theusesareasa noun, verb, etc, in a particular pattern, they are explained in one paragraphandeachuseisintroducedbyawholenumber. 6 Explanationsofmeaningand use aepnpjloayumseent...oArppalpparuesceiaitsi1onanbyexparegsrsoiuopn ooff 6.1 The entry word is always explained by means of a peopleinwhichtheyallclaptheirhands...2 complete sentence. This normally means that the userofthe support or praise by a lot of people for dictionaryisshownthewordinnaturalEnglish. somethingthathasbeendone... appaprotiicnutlar...po1stIfoyrotuodaoppaoipnatrtiscoumlaeronjoeb,tyooua 7v.e4ryIdfitfhfeereunstesfrofomtheeacwhorodthaesr,aenaocuhn,usoermasaya vbeerbg,iveetnc,ianrae dfoorimt.ally choose them for it or ask them to dsiefpfaerraetnecepsamraagyrbaephduienttorotdhuecfeodllboywinagwchhaonlgeesn.umber. These viii GuidetotheUseoftheDictionary 7.4.1-changesinmeaning: 9 Theuseof clear ... 16 Ifyourskin isclear, it ishealthy 9.1 The symbol is used in this dictionary to introduce a andfreefromspotsorrashes... slightchangeinthewayawordisused.Theparticularchange 17 If your conscience is clear, you do not involvedisexplainedimmediatelyafterthesymbol. yf1e8oeulIfhguyaiovluet,ynyaoobuoaruptptoaiimnney,ttmhoeirnntgyso..u.orrdiary is clear, 9a.n2adIjteccatinveintthraotduucseuaallsylidgehstccrhiabensgepeionpmleeanmianyg.alFsoorbeexuasmepdlet,o arrangements ... dmeasycrailbseotrheefierrbteohiatvsicoounrt,enotrs.a noun that referstoa container joeinnd.o..f2itIsfoytohuatjoyionuaaqrueepuaer,tyoofuits.t..andatthe bsuhcakpeetd..l.i1keAabuccykleitndiesraacnodntawihniecrhwhhaischains y3oIufyboeucojmoienaamcelumb,besorcioeftiytoorrsotragratniwzoartkioans, ouspeednftoorphoalnddinagahnadndlcea.rryBiuncgkewtastearr,eegofTtheen anemployeeofit... hotelcleanerenteredcarryingabucketand 7.4.2-changesingrammar: a mop. Bucketisalsousedtorefertothe amountofliquidwhichabucketcontains,eg asfofmroenotne,... i1t Ifissoamedtehliinbgeraitseaninasuflftronotr tao nprceopuntth:einfto ...abucketofwarmwater. challengetotheirprideordignity... 9.3 It can introduce a change in the grammar of the word 2 If you are affronted by something, you v+o:usupass thathaslittleornoeffectonitsmeaning.Forexample,aword feel insulted and yourprideand dignityare that is most commonly used as a verb mayalso be used asa hurt... nounreferringtotheactionthattheverbinvolves. 7.5 Sub-paragraphs, introduced by numbers with a decimal giggle ... If you giggle, you make quiet and point, maybeused when therearemorethan twosensesofa repeated laughing noises, because you are particularpattern. nervous or embarrassed, eg The absurd d2mfroayrcDemhrrsiyne.o..efradlfraosyron.ddsrpyedlirlniegedrcdlroaitrehere.s.t1h1eA.2dacrohymaepirarrdirsayt1ei.r1v.ea hgnsieoogluugpnnll,deeds,selmgya.'d..aIetdahhnqeeuerrirtvoegoiwugngsfloer.gjg.ioo.gktgetl.ee'.nO.'h....Wdueseaegrdi,hg'gaaldssihnaaeg goodgiggleaboutthat. aspopmoeionntemetontdoa...pa1rtiTchuelarajpopboiisntthmeenacttoorf 9u.s4edTahseanchuancnoguentmanoyuni.nvolve a count noun that can also be processofchoosingthemtodoit. 2 An appointment is 2.1 a job or position rope ... 1 A rope is a piece of very thick, ncount usuallyone involvingsomeresponsibility ... strong string, usually made of several 2.2 someone who has been chosen for a strandsofhemp... egOneofthecharacters particularjoborposition... in the playhangsherselfwitha rope...She picked up the end of the rope, and pulled n with all her might. used as an uncount uncount noun,eg...apieceofrope. 8 Examples 9b.e5forTehaenocthhaenrgneoumnaaysifinitvowlevreetahneadfjreecqtuievne.t use of a noun 8a.p1peaArnienxaitmaplilces winitthhiinsadnicteinotnrayr.yTihseaegxraomuppleosf whoarvdesbteheant biamcpkogrtraonutnedven...t 2orTshietuatbiaocnkcgornosuisntds otfotahne sgeerxlaaemmcmptaletdeiscsateloesptasrguhecotwuxvr.est.ypFiocrala fculolnetrexdtiss,cusscioolnloocfattihoensroleanodf pwfaahcryttsiictutlhhaaatrppheteinlmeped,toineetaxcpplaaerigtnic.uw.l.hatahretwaceyacuoosnreodamtiicta, 8.2 The firstexample in eachentry,or in each paragraph or background to the present political crisis... sub-paragraph, isalways preceded by the letters EG in small used as an adjective, eg ...background capitalletters. information. waterhole ... A waterhole isa pond or pool inadesertorotherdryareawhereanimals can find watertodrink, egWecamped that eveningbyawaterhole. s8.e3nteTnhcees.eWxhaempnlethsisiwsiltlhencoatse,altwhaeyysarecoinsnitsrtoduocfedcboymptlherteee 10 Theuseof dots. 10.1 Derived wordscan appearwithinanentryinsmallbold wweobvbeinngin s..t.riipss satnrdonugsedmattoermiaalkewhbeilcths oirs lfertotmersthaefteenrttrhyewsoyrmdbobly0t.heThaeddyitairoenwoofradssuwffhiixc,hacacroerdfionrgmetdo ss.tp.rr.aicpnasgn,sv,asorewgebub.s.ie.nAdg.bienltseoaftsgrteoensuwpepbobritng.t.h.e iwrnuolrtedhsistohrwatatyoaptaphrleeypuvaserurtayilclguyelnavreerramylelasyinmiiinnlgaErnogiflnitsmhh.eeaTennhitenrgywotwroodrtsdhefioenrnmtterhdye paragraphorsub-paragraph in whichtheyareplaced. Insuch 8.4 Three dots are placed after an example to separate it cases,thereisnoseparateentryforthederivedword. fromanexamplethatfollows. * touchy ... 1 A touchy person iseasilyupset, 8.5 Mostoftheexamplesin thisdictionaryaregivenexactly offended or irritated, eg He always was a as they are found in our corpus, or with very minor changes touchyandquick-temperedman...Theyare which have been made in order to remove unnecessary touchy about criticism. touchiness, eg distractinginformation. Shewasamusedbyhistouchiness. ix